1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to a head restraint, and more specifically to an infinitely adjustable head restraint assembly for a vehicle seat assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional vehicle seat designs of the type commonly found in the related art typically include a seatback assembly, a lower seat assembly, recliner mechanism, manual or power adjustment mechanism for adjusting a number of positions of either the seatback or lower seat assemblies, as well as a number of safety features including occupant restraint devices such as seatbelts.
In the context of vehicle seating design, there is an ongoing effort to provide safety mechanisms that reduce the chance of injury to the passenger's head and neck region. For instance, in the event of a rear end vehicular collision, the occupant's torso is forced against the seatback, and the occupant's neck and head region moves relative to the torso, causing a relative angular displacement between the chest and neck and head region of the occupant. Depending on the force of the rear end collision, this angular displacement can be quickly closed by movement of the neck and head region of the passenger toward the head restraint in an event commonly known as “whiplash.” Various head restraint assemblies have been included in vehicle seats to reduce whiplash.
Some head restraints are movable such that the head restraint can be variably positioned. For instance, some head restraints can be raised and lowered, adjusted forward and rearward, and/or tilted relative to the seatback such that the head restraint is in a position to better support the occupant. Some head restraints are manually adjusted, while other head restraints include a powered adjustment means that automatically moves the head restraint in a variety of directions.
Although adjustable head restraints have worked for their intended purpose, certain disadvantages remain. For instance, some head restraints are adjusted manually with both hands, and such adjustment can be inconvenient, especially for those who wish to adjust the head restraint while driving. Some head restraints are adjusted automatically, such as with an electric motor, but such systems typically include complicated and expensive components. Also, some head restraints can only be positioned in a first position, a second position, and a limited number of intermediate positions between the first and second positions, and as such, the occupant may not be able to move the head restraint to a desired position. Accordingly, there remains a need for a head restraint assembly that can be automatically and conveniently adjusted in a first position, a second position, and infinitely between the first and second positions, and which utilizes simple and inexpensive components for adjustment of the head restraint.